Rise of the Guardians: King's Lament
by Mysterie1985
Summary: Jack O' Latern, better known as the Pumpkin King, is in trouble. With fear vanishing, Halloween as it has always been, and those who uphold it, will cease to be. Jacko needs the help of a "key" but after the 'Christmas incident' can he convince Jamie that he needs help? [Sequel to ROTG: Nightmare Before Christmas]
1. Prologue

Jacko paced in the throne room, if one could call it that anymore; he was not a king without a kingdom and the pale boy before him was paler than normal. Weak from hunger and he could not hope to feed the poor boy himself. He looked at the vampire, the boy's red eyes were dull and his pale skin now made him look closer to being a ghost. Jake stood before his master and ruler, the king of Halloween; the idea to be rid of Christmas to strengthen Halloween had come to an abrupt end with the rescue of North. Not just by the Guardians, but by the boy that Jacko had recognized as the "key" that the fortune teller had told him of before. They needed help and Jacko was determined it was this boy, the one Jake had been forbidden to turn into a vampire like himself, that was going to be needed to strengthen them all. Unlike the tales of them being thirsty for blood, Jake was only hungry for fear... it was what all spirits of the kingdom of Halloween lived for and needed to survive. It was in short supply and those who had once been so easily frightened of the tales they made up themselves were now next to impossible to frighten. There was a good dose of fear every once in a great while, but it wasn't enough. Those who lived in this kingdom were starving and their king was no less so; for he did not steal from his subjects to survive himself... rather... his pale visage made it plain he had skipped out on the last meal that had been offered up.

"Sire, is it really good that you missed the last feeding? How much longer can you hope to last for our people if you do not feed?"

"Perhaps not, but I cannot watch my people starve. The fear the boy brought with him upon his capture gave us some strength that lasted longer than I had hoped... but it's not enough. We still all go hungry. Only the children must be fed."

"So you continue to say, but how much longer? How many more must fade before the boy is brought here?"

"I cannot force him, I must some how convince him..."

"How?"

"I go myself."

"But sire... if you go then you might not return! What then?"

"If I am trapped in the human world... so be it. I would rather that then stay here, doing nothing and watch the kingdom fade. Be watchful at the gates my young friend. I will return in victory." _Or not at all..._ He thought as he moved towards the crypt that was his garden and Jake could only watch as the Pumpkin King disappeared into the fog and from sight.


	2. 1

The wind gently blew leaves through the air, it was crisp and cool and everyone was beginning to get ready for the upcoming holiday. Halloween. It was two weeks away, there wasn't a kid who wasn't looking forward to it, but there was one kid in Burgess who was a little apprehensive. One Jamie Bennett, who could blame him? Just the year before he'd been on a wild adventure into a completely different realm, after being kidnapped by a vampire. A vampire of all things! No one, of course, was young enough to believe his story. His friends had grown up and of course there was no way that a bunch of fourteen and fifteen year-olds were going to believe that he had been taken away, by a vampire of all things, to another world. His friends had stopped believing as strongly in the Guardians as he did; at least if the topic was brought up they seemed to humor him, but he had seen the lack of interest and belief in their eyes. It was sad, in his mind, that out of all the Burgess kids who had witnessed something no other human had - seeing a Guardian swear the oath for the first time and become a Guardian - that they would just stop believing it was anything but some fantasy from their childhood. Then again, he couldn't be too surprised or disappointed; they hadn't even had enough faith as children to keep believing when the rest of the world had lost belief thanks to Pitch's nightmares. He's suffered them along with his friends, but that fateful Easter night, when he'd first met his very best friend and Guardian... he'd been the only child who still believed in the Guardians. His belief had almost gone out, but Jack had helped him to keep his belief by using his frost to draw on Jamie's window and the snow rabbit that he made was the very thing that had made him realize that Jack Frost was real. That he wasn't just a saying, as his mother had told him two days before that night. Since that time he'd held firmly to his belief and he and Jack had become friends. He was Jack's first believer and he'd helped Jack get his friends to believe to help the Guardians stand up against Pitch... and while there'd only been the six of them and four out of five Guardians that night... they had managed to beat Pitch and bring the Sandman back. It was a story that Jamie had told to any child... anyone... who would listen. Jack had believers all around the world because they had spread their story. Not that any of the adults really believed them, after all, they couldn't see the black sand that was pinned around town from the aftermath of the fight that night... all they saw was Jack's ice and snow and what looked like a disaster. That was what the grownups had figured it was, just some freak icy weather. Burgess was no stranger to having ice and snow on Easter after all; in fact, most of it had stayed until the very end of April at times. Jamie had decided that his little adventure would make a good English paper for his teacher, and he hadn't been wrong. The teacher, of course, thought he'd made it all up and praised him for his creativity. Saying that she thought he might do well as writer when he got older. Jamie didn't doubt that, after all, most of his papers were about his adventures with Jack and when Jack was around, the impossible was possible. Well, at least in terms of sled rides and anything to do with the winter season. It was no secret that Jamie loved winter out of all the seasons; he enjoyed summer and spring, but he was always antsy during fall and loved winter the most because it meant being with his best friend and Guardian. Jack had never failed to show up year after year to play with him and Sophie. Jamie always seemed to know when Jack was around as well, he couldn't explain it to anyone, but it was just the smallest shift in the cold... where it was just right... that told him Jack was around. For as long as he could remember, Jamie had always believed in the Guardians. The Sandman, the Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus (whose real name was North - Jack had told him) and of course the Easter Bunny. His baby sister had taken a shine to the Easter Bunny when she was only two and, according to Jack and the other Guardians, had taken a trip to the Warren when she'd gotten ahold of one of North's snow globes the same night that Jamie had been visited by the Guardians for the first time. He'd been a little jealous of her at that until he'd gotten a chance, thanks to Jack, to see all of the Guardians' homes. He had asked Jack why he hadn't had one himself, Jack had merely shrugged and said the pond was home enough for him. That he liked sleeping out underneath the stars. It was something from his old life that had stuck with him. Jamie knew Jack didn't like to talk much about the life he'd had before he'd become a Guardian, though he'd slowly told Jamie. It had been a lonely existence. 300 years with no one to talk to.. No one to keep him company but the wind... and he'd occasionally annoyed the Guardians when he felt it the worst, but for that long he'd not been able to have anyone see him. He'd tried everything he could think of and then some... Jack had always seemed quiet after telling Jamie something about his past and Jamie was always quick to change the subject to help cheer his friend up. It was strange, really, and a little heartbreaking, to see his friend anything but the cheerful teen he had met that first night. Jack didn't have to tell him that he was the first to believe in him, after all, he'd seen that for himself that fateful night. He'd never seen anyone so purely happy to be seen by someone else. It was something he didn't have words for and goodness knows he'd tried as he'd edited and revised the story he and the others had posted on a website when they were young - thanks to Monty's older brother having a computer - and that was how the story had spread all over the world. Now that he was older, and had managed to get money by doing babysitting jobs and other chores for older people here and there, he had his own computer. It was a dinosaur of a pc, but it still ran... oddly enough. It never ceased to amaze him how many people were willing to believe... And how many hecklers there were. Being the owner of the site, he instantly banned anyone who was mean to anyone on the forum site that he and his friends had started. None of his friends visited it anymore, which he thought was sad, but he shook it off as he sat before the computer now, finishing up copying his latest paper on one of his remembered adventures with Jack. His stories weren't the only ones now, there were plenty of stories of Jack being sighted and having snowball fights with other kids. Jamie wasn't jealous, of course, because he knew that was Jack's job. He was a Guardian and Jamie wasn't the only kid on the planet. As he hit the enter button he stared at the screen at his own thoughts. He wasn't really a kid anymore... Jack really had no reason to visit him. Even if Sophie was still young enough, Jack really had no obligation to him anymore and it wasn't like he was Jamie's personal Guardian or anything. He shook off the doubts that crept into his mind every year; he'd never really told Jack, but ever since he'd turned thirteen he'd began to doubt that Jack would show up to see him because he was growing older... he wasn't growing up in the sense that his friends had, but ... well... he wasn't going to be young forever. Eventually he'd have to leave school and get a job... maybe start a family of his own some day. It was a far off time and he didn't think on it too much, but he did realize that he was starting to have less and less time during the winter months to go out and play in the snow unless it was a snow day. So far, he'd not seen any signs that would lead him to worry that Jack wouldn't come back. The winter spirit always seemed cheerful and was more than ready to spend time with him on any winter activity that he'd like. Jamie had even considered getting a snowboard and spend next summer learning to ride one. He was sure Jack would be more than happy to help teach him... And it meant more time with his winter friend. He just didn't have the money to get one... so he decided he'd try and find more jobs so he could afford one. He had never really asked North for anything since that Easter except for asking to spend time with Jack... when Jack had the time to hang out of course. He knew Jack couldn't be around him all of the time, but he enjoyed his visits when the youngest Guardian dropped in.


	3. 2

Jamie glanced out at the window with a quiet sigh. So far there was no sign that Jack was early. Though every so often he was. He tried to shake away his thoughts of Jack, but found that he couldn't. Well, he still had to write another paper for English... he figured he'd get a headstart on it early. So, shrinking the forum site he opened the word document program and began to type. LIke usual, everything began to flow easy from his mind to his fingertips; this paper wasn't like others though. The more he wrote about his fears and doubts the worse he felt, but he soon found that he couldn't stop and by the time he had a three page essay on the subject he began to feel something twinge in him... what had he just written? He went over it... it was... not like him. Jack was his best friend and like a brother to him but this... He saved the document and closed it, he wasn't really sure he wanted to use that as his next paper in English but something in him said not to lose it either.

"Jamie! Dinner!" _Good timing._ The teen thought and headed to the bathroom to wash up, it was habit and he did need a little time to himself to try and shake away the depressive effects of what he'd just written. It was a deep rooted fear, a fear that something would happen and that he would lose Jack... that he'd forget him or that he would go the way of his friends and "grow up" as he'd once heard Caleb tell him to do that fateful Easter that had changed everything for him.

"Jamie? Is something on your mind?"

"Hmmm? Oh, just a paper for school I have to finish writing. Sorry, didn't mean to be so quiet." He realized he had eaten most of his meal without a word.

"Are you sure? You kinda looked a little lost there."

"Well... I'm just not sure I know what to write about this time." He didn't think the little white lie would hurt, but he couldn't simply tell his mother that his best friend was Jack Frost and he was having troubled thoughts about losing his friend.

"Okay honey, but you know you can talk to me about anything, right?"

"Yeah." _Well, almost anything._ At his age, she'd think there was something wrong with him if she knew he still believed in the Guardians so he pretended around her, and most adults, that he didn't. He almost never brought the subject up with his friends anymore, except when they were reminiscing about their childhoods... which was next to never. His friends had moved on and Jamie felt a little left behind, but he honestly couldn't imagine how much worse it was for his friend, Jack. Still, Jack had seemed to just accept it and had only smiled a little, reassuring him when he'd brought it up last year. Jamie tried hard not to think about it, or how detached he was from his friends. Monty was already a grade higher than him in high school, the twins had a band while Cupcake and Pippa seemed only interested now in makeup and talking about dating boys... ugh. He really didn't want to think of dating. He had no interest in it and he had no interest in Pippa or Cupcake... or any girl like _that._ As he finished his dinner his thoughts drifted to the year before and he couldn't help but smile a little. It had been a little scary last year, but hey, he'd enjoyed having an adventure with the Guardians again. Even if it was a short one and he'd ended up prisoner in another world with North... he'd gotten to fight against a foe along side his friend and they'd beaten back the Pumpkin King. The smile faded as he lay on his bed. Something about that had always bothered him. They had gotten away just a little too easy in his mind; it seemed like it was almost like their foe wasn't even really trying to keep North there... Like it was just too easy... and yet, nothing else had happened since then. No peep out of the Pumpkin King or any of his minions. It was like the whole thing was meant as some ill-time joke against North and that was it. It just seemed too odd to him. He had mentioned it to Jack, but his friend had only shrugged it off. Well, it really didn't matter much as long as the Pumpkin King didn't try anything, did it? Eventually Jamie drifted off to sleep, he didn't have school tomorrow so he'd play with Sophie when he wasn't working on school work, he figured he'd save that for the evening so his mother could go to work without having to call a babysitter. He was old enough to watch his sister and care for them both. The day passed as normal as Sophie and he played catch with one of her balls, she missed though and giggled as it rolled out into the street.

"I'll get it!" She raced after it, she didn't see the car.

"SOPHIE!" Jamie called out but let out a sigh as the little girl suddenly disappeared with a blur of blue only to giggle as she looked up at her rescuer.  
"Hey there Soph, you need to be more careful there kiddo."

"Jack!" His friend looked down and grinned.

"Hey Jamie!" He landed on the sidewalk and set Sophie safely down.

"Thanks Jack. Sophie, you know you shouldn't run out into the street after things like that. Let me get it okay?"

"Okay." He looked to make sure there weren't any cars before he went to fetch the ball. That was odd, his sister was usually not that reckless. He retrieved the ball without incident and returned to where his sister and Jack were waiting.

"LIttle early this year I see." Jack grinned.

"Yeah, got time off for good behavior." He joked, making Jamie chuckle a little. Jack was always playing pranks, mostly on Bunny and North because he knew he could get away with it with those two and not be in too much trouble. Sandy was hard to prank because, as Jack told him, even that Guardian's home didn't stay in one place. So he didn't really try too hard there, with Tooth... he'd pranked her once by switching out the sugar-free candy North gave her fairies with normal candy. The result of the sugar high fairies had been absolutely hilarious... but Tooth hadn't been at all amused and he'd gotten a severe scolding for it. Jamie, of course, after hearing about it, had wished he'd seen what hyper-active tooth fairies looked like. He'd told Jack he should get a camera to document his pranks with. Jack had agreed and Jamie had a collection of the various pranks pulled on Bunny. One of his favorites was a tie-dye Bunny with a clown nose. Jack had managed to dunk the oversized rabbit in his own dye river... how Jamie wasn't sure he'd ever know, and then stuck a clown nose on him. It was hilarious! Bunny, of course, had been annoyed and had found ways to get back at Jack. Jamie was sure the two were like brothers the way they had this "rivalry" going on so constantly. Truthfully, though, the two actually got along pretty well. There was never any real anger or maliciousness behind either of their pranks or "threats" to one another. At least, that was the way it seemed when Jamie saw the two of them together as Bunny popped up at times during the warmer days of winter to visit Sophie. Snow or no snow; it seemed the lagomorph had grown attached to his baby sister just like he was attached to Jack... well, maybe not quite in the same way but still.

"It's good to see you." Jamie smiled and Jack answered with one of his own.

"Good to see you too. What have you two been up to?"

"Well, today we're on our own. We were just playing a game of catch." Jack nodded.

"Mind if I join?"

"Nope." He smiled, though he wondered why Jack would want to play a game of catch... still he didn't question it while the three of them tossed the ball back and forth and enjoyed it until Sophie decided she was hungry and so they went inside for lunch. Jack followed them inside and once she was settled with lunch Jamie looked over at Jack curiously. His friend had been acting like there was something on his mind. Jack smiled at him, like usual, but the tilt of his head said that Jamie wasn't wrong. There was something Jack wanted to talk to him about, but not in front of his sister. Jack didn't often eat, and had declined the sandwich Jamie had offered him, but sipped at the warm coco he'd made for the three of them.

"Why don't you color a bit Soph? It's a bit past time to play outside and I want to talk to Jack for a little while. That okay?"

"Okay, just don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"Soph!" She giggled a little while he shook his head at what his sister had said. She said the most outrageous of things sometimes. Jack chuckled a bit and shook his head when Jamie looked at him.

"Kids, huh?"

"What's on your mind?" He watched as the spirit's amusement faded into something more serious.

"The real reason I came early is because something happened... I don't know if you've heard of it or not."

"Don't think so." Jack sighed a little.

"I don't know the details, but there was a car accident and a couple kids were killed." Jamie stared, shocked at the news.

"I got here as fast as I could... I wanted to make sure it wasn't you or..." He trailed off. Jamie got up as he set his cup down he went over to Jack and wrapped his arms around the winter spirit who just hugged him back. Jamie couldn't begin to imagine how awful Jack must have felt... thinking that maybe he had lost him to something like that. He knew it was a foolish thing to wish, but he wished he could be around forever, to always be there for Jack. He didn't let go for a long time and neither did Jack, if he felt something that felt suspiciously like tears against his shoulder, Jamie didn't say anything about it or even seem to notice.

"I'm sorry Jack. I really am." He said after a moment, but the winter spirit didn't say anything. When he finally did pull back though his eyes seemed a little bright with his relief.

"I'm glad it wasn't you or Sophie, I really am..."

"But at the same time they were believers... weren't they?" He nodded a little sadly.

"It's just part of life... sometimes believers... we lose them before we're supposed to. The world can be a dangerous place... please, promise me that you'll be careful. I don't want you to be one of those."

"I promise." He didn't know why, it just felt right. He put his hand on the cold cheek.

"I want to keep my promise to believe in you, forever... so that means I have to take care of myself and my sister, right?" Jack nodded a little, a bit surprised at the touch but he only seemed to take comfort in it. Jamie let his hand drop before it got awkward; he only meant to comfort his friend, after all.


	4. 3

Jack stayed with them that evening, entertaining both him and his sister with stories and games that they played in doors. It was too early for snow, Jack knew this as much as he did and it was easy to distract Sophie from that fact by playing various games with her that didn't include such. Jamie and Jack talked late into the night, until Jamie started to drift off on his bed while listening to Jack tell him about one of his latest visits to the pole. Jack left him a fond farewell note on a nearby piece of paper; it was still odd to see, because he knew that Jack came from a time where reading and writing weren't really that important. He smiled though, Jack's writing was not as flamboyant as one might expect from the cheerful winter spirit, it was neat with curves that made the cursive writing the lost artform it once had been... at least that was what Jack had mentioned when he had first asked Jack about his leaving a note. Jamie had dated the notes in a corner and stowed them all away. He loved keeping them, why exactly he wasn't sure and all this note said was:

Sorry I wasn't here to see you off this morning, got called out.

Duty calls.

See you soon!

\- Jack

Jamie wondered just how soon that "soon" was for Jack but brushed it off. Surely the Guardians wouldn't have called Jack away for just anything. Shrugging off the thought he stowed away the note with the others he had, grabbed a towel and some clean clothes and went to shower. He flipped on the news when he was downstairs and just stared at the sudden news report he saw. It was like half the town had gone mad all of the sudden. Fires were raging in footage behind the newscaster who was reporting.

"Officials are busy today as all over the globe various reports have begun to flood in; too many for police, firefighters and even hospitals to fully contain. It is uncertain why many individuals have begun to take risks on the road; many have led to countless car crashes though most have amounted only to minor injury. The cost of damages, however, has quickly reached into the billions. Police say that drivers need to exercise more caution when driving, especially in places where the roads are hazardous. Fires are mostly contained to various vehicles that had been carrying flammable materials, but everyone is urged to be cautious and to use common sense." The reporter went on but Jamie had stopped listening by then. Car crashes? All over the globe? What was going on?! Was the reason behind such sudden catastrophe why Jack had been summoned to the pole? His next thoughts were of his mother. Was she okay?! He ran for the phone, just when he was about to pick it up, it rang. He picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Hey sweetheart, I might be a little late. I saw the news, half the town seems to have gone nuts in terms of driving. I don't know when I'll be able to make it home, but I'll be there as soon as I can. Keep an eye on your sister won't you?"

"Of course, mom. Take your time. Love you."

"Love you too." Jamie hung the phone up. He wasn't surprised when the phone rang literally seconds later.

"Hey man, have you seen the news?" It was Monty.

"Yeah, crazy isn't it?"

"No kidding! What in the world do you think could cause all of this?"

"I don't know... but I have a feeling someone else might."

"Who?"

"An old friend."

"Aw man, don't tell me you still believe in those guys."

"And what if I do? Huh? What if THEY are the only ones who can help? This defies any of your logic and you know it." There was silence on the other end for a long while.

"Dude, you know I'm not one to believe in such things anymore... but... you're right about one thing. It does defy logic."

"Have I ever lied to you or any of the others?"

"Not that I know of."

"Trust me when I say this, it's not normal that all this is happening, there's no logical explanation for it... not one that an adult would accept anyway. I need you to do me a favor though."

"Sure man."

"Get as much info on this that you can and then bring the others over to my place."

"Just how are we supposed to get there?"

"Walk, ride a bike... I dunno! Just don't drive okay?"

"Fair enough, give me about a day at least; I'll meet you there with the others tomorrow afternoon."

"See you then."

"See you." Jamie hung up the phone. What was he going to do until then? It wasn't like he could just get ahold of the Guardians by telephone... and he had to keep an eye on Sophie... wait... where WAS his sister?! He ran through the house looking for her. He felt better when he found her playing with her stuffed dolls in her room. She was safe for the time being. Jamie went downstairs and paced. He hoped that the solution to everything would be found soon, this was a major thing; to affect so many all at once... what was next? He had to think... there was a way he could get in touch with Jack, but did he dare risk leaving the house? If he did, he would have to take Sophie with him; he wasn't sure why but something in him was telling him that something had gone horribly wrong with the world and that meant that he needed to keep a sharper eye on his sister than usual. He couldn't understand though why he was feeling that. Still, he knew he had to try. The only one who might have answers for him about all of this would be Jack. He hoped and prayed that his wintery friend indeed had answers for him as he slipped on a jacket and went up stairs.

"Hey Soph, would you like to go visit Jack's home for a little while?" She smiled and nodded. She got into her coat and bundled up, he then led her outside and around the yard fence. It was a longer route to the frozen pond, but something in him told him that he needed to take every precaution on the way there. He couldn't really explain it, let alone understand it... but it was like there was some sort of tug-of-war going on inside him. He wasn't sure who, what or why. Maybe Jack had an answer for that too. He watched as his sister skipped beside him, happily humming to herself as if it were a trip to the zoo or something. He watched as she ran ahead of him; as she'd been there before herself and had known where it was they were going, he watched her climb over a few fallen logs on their way there. As she balanced on one, everything seemed normal, so why did he think that something was not right? She was just playing as usual... He tried to shake off the foreboding feeling as they reached the pond. Jack, of course, was nowhere to be seen.

"Awww, Jack's not here."

"No, doesn't look like it." When she wasn't looking, he picked up a small pebble and tossed it onto the ice.

"Maybe he'll show up soon." Jamie ventured as he watched his sister scan the sky for their wintery friend; Jamie kept track of time for a little while before tossing another pebble. He knew Jack would be there soon... he had to give the Guardian some time. He hoped that Jack understood that this was definitely a type of emergency.

"I've found you... finally." Jamie whipped around to see the last person... or spirit, he really wanted to see just then.

"You." Sophie looked over at the figure that was leaning against a tree nearby, he wasn't the winter spirit she'd hoped to see.

"Who are you?" A hint of a smile touched the pale lips of the lanky teen who smiled at her, eyes as orange as a pumpkin, his wind tousled hair was black as any night; he looked normal as most might, from a distance, in the blue jeans and navy sweater that he wore.

"Ah... my dear young believer, I am Jack." She frowned in confusion.

"Jack O'Lanturn, by name, the spirit of Halloween."


	5. 4

"What are you doing here? Isn't it a bit close to Halloween for you to be out and about?" The spirit's smile faded as he turned to Jamie.

"Indeed." Before he could begin to answer though a blast of ice slammed before him; Jack had heeded Jamie's call.

"Jack!" Sophie called excitedly, turning her attention to her wintry friend.

"Keep away from him Sophie. He's bad news." Jack said as he floated down, his shepherd's staff pointed towards the other spirit.

"You do me a disservice, Frost."

"And why should I believe you? You were the one behind last year's fiasco. Don't think I have forgotten." Sophie stared at the other spirit with wide eyes now; this was the spirit who had ordered her brother be stolen away the year before?

"I can see that. Though don't you think if I were going to do something it would have happened already?" Jack didn't reply, no one did; it seemed too obvious of a statement.

"Why are you here then?" Jamie said after what seemed like a long stretch of silence.

"Because I need your help." Jamie frowned.

"Why would we help you?" Jack asked, cautious.

"Don't tell me you've missed the signs."

"Jack... what is he talking about?" Jamie asked, was what was happening... the uneasy feeling he got... because of the spirit of Halloween? If so... what did that have to do with him? Why would the "Pumpkin King" be asking for help? The other spirit gave Jamie a faint smile.

"Jacko's fading." Sophie says, forestalling anything that might have been said.

"What?" Jack stared in disbelief and Jamie frowned but as he looked at the other spirit, who didn't respond, it became obvious the longer he looked. It was true that the spirit was pale, like Jack, but there was an ashen look to his skin that Jamie swore hadn't been there before when he had first met him... and his eyes were brilliant orange when they met... but now they seemed so dull looking... it was almost like looking into the eyes of a doll. Jack slowly lowered his staff.

"Is... this true?"

"So the child says. I came here because my kingdom is crumbling... what do I have to lose? The world is losing its sense of fear. Ever since Pitch's defeat, children have had less fears and that means less food." Jamie looked at Jacko in confusion.

"Less food means my kingdom starves and without fear... there is chaos in the world. This... this is only the beginning. Even you Guardians can't hope to stop this. You can't talk to adults, even if they could see you there's no guarantee they'd even listen. You know how stubborn humans are."

"Jack?" Jamie was looking at his friend.

"Is that why you were called away?" Jack glances to Jamie, sighing a bit.

"Yeah." He relaxed a little, there was no way Jacko was going to do anything; Jack knew this because he could see the lack of energy in the other spirit and he knew that what the spirit of Halloween was talking about was true. He knew the other Guardians were still at the pole, arguing amongst themselves about what they should do. Jack had shot up the moment he'd felt the first pebble and told them he was going to make sure Jamie was alright. They hadn't had time to say anything against that before he'd been up and out of the pole as fast as he could manage. He hadn't known what to expect exactly, but he hadn't exactly been expecting this.

"Why come to me for help?" Jamie asked after a moment.

"I was told you could, by a gypsy. I didn't believe it at first, that a human boy could help me and so I began to plot last year's ... fiasco. I knew that if what she said was true, then you would come running to help your Guardian friend and I could see for myself." Jamie frowned.

"You kidnapped North just for THAT?!"

"More or less. You are more than what you seem, Jamie Bennett. I see now why Pitch was defeated."

"You said something about feeding off fear."

"I do, but not in the way Pitch and his minions do." Sophie hugged Jamie and he looked down, she looked cold.

"Let's continue this conversation somewhere else. My sister and I aren't exactly immune to the cold." Jacko nodded his head.

"By all means, lead the way."

"Is this a good idea?" Jack asked Jamie quietly.

"What choice do we have? He might have the answers and a solution to the problem before this becomes worse... and I doubt we have much time before it does." Jamie murmured back as Jack floated near them; not trusting Jacko to not pull out some trick or something. It was his holiday, after all, that was coming up fast; he was also known to play tricks, just as Jack did, but Jacko's tricks were meant to scare or frighten others in contrast to those Jack played for a laugh or to make others laugh. Jamie wasn't expecting company, so when he saw all of his friends gathered on his front porch step he felt a bit of worry jolt through him. _What are they doing here?!_

"Um... this just got a whole lot more complicated..." Jamie muttered, his friends, of course, couldn't see the two spirits with him and Sophie.

"Sophie... take up the rear will you and let Jack and our guest in before you come in won't you?" She nods a little before they get to the front porch.

"Guys, what are you doing here? I thought I told Monty not to bring you here until tomorrow."

"Tomorrow might be too late, dude." Caleb said, the serious look on his face made Jamie want to wince.

"Let me get the door and we can talk inside, okay?" They all nodded, none of them looked happy; Cupcake looked antsy, Pippa looked uneasy, Caleb and Claude had a sort of solemn look and Monty looked almost scared. Jacko's eyes seemed to brighten a little.

"Fear... _true_ fear... It's been so long... I feel so much better now..."

"I can do without the commentary, thanks." Jamie said before realizing his mistake, his friends looked at him but none of them said anything at first.

"I don't know what's going on, but I don't think this can wait." Monty said after clearing his throat. The others looked at him.

"I did look up some facts about the incidents; I thought something was strange about it all, so I decided to dig deeper... see if maybe there was some correlation or something... the facts aren't something to swallow with supper."

"Just tell it to us straight man." Caleb said. Monty looked over at Sophie who had sat on the couch with Jack hovering nearby, Jacko stood as far away from the rest as possible... though Jamie doubted that was because he was uneasy with the group in the living room so much as that he didn't want to be on the wrong end of Jack's staff. The rest of them had settled in an armchair, on the couch or on the floor. None of them looked happy really, even Sophie seemed concerned. Jamie just nodded to Monty, they were eight when they had faced down Pitch; his sister was old enough to know what was really going on.

""Well, basically the injuries and deaths of people who have tried different activities meant for entertainment and just basic necessities... It's gotten high. So high in fact, that it's nearly rivaling the supposed deaths that were caused just in the first few years of the industrial age, a time when factories were death traps for workers because no one knew about safety and such."

"How is that possible?" Pippa asked.

"Fear... people are losing the healthy fear they once had of taking such risks." Jacko chimed in, though only Jamie and Sophie heard. The group looked at Jamie, he'd taken a deep breath.

"Guys, the answer you want isn't one you're going to like... and not one you're likely to believe right off hand."

"What? Are you going to tell us the "boogeyman" is responsible?" Claude asked in a dry tone.

"No, things would be a lot simpler if that were the case."

"No kidding." Jack replied.

"Seriously man?" Caleb groaned. Jamie sighs.

"Fine. You want the truth? I'll tell you." The others stared at him, waiting. Jamie took a deep breath again and then just said it.

"The reason all this is happening is because of fear."

"A lack of it." Jacko put in.

"A lack of it." Jamie repeated.

"A lack of fear? I don't get it." Pippa said, confusion in her tone was mirrored by the expressions of the others.

"Fear is what makes us cautious, it keeps us from burning ourselves when we use an oven to cook something... or tells us to remember to look both ways before we cross the street so that we don't get hit by cars. Fear is what drives us to not do something stupid or dangerous just because we can." No one said anything.


	6. 5

"So, what do you suggest we do?" It was Sophie who asked, surprising the group.

"I was hoping an old friend had the answer to that." Jamie said bluntly.

"An old friend? Come on Jamie, don't tell me you're gonna tells us you're expecting the Guardians to appear or something." Caleb groaned.

"Not exactly, no. Still, one of them IS here... you just have to believe."

"Can't you be serious for once in your life?" Pippa asked. Jamie looked over at Jack who sighed.

"Do we really need them?"

"You should show them, Jack. I mean, it can't hurt to have more people helping, can it?" Sophie piped up.

"You have her doing this too?! Jamie Bennett I swear if you're just pulling some prank or som-" Pippa's words faltered as she shivered, as did the others as they realized that suddenly the temperature around them had suddenly dropped for no reason.

"W-what the heck?!" Caleb chattered. Their eyes all widened as snow began to float through the air. Jamie smiled a little, even as his breath fogged out before him.

"I told you. You just have to believe." They all seemed to hold their breath, as if reluctant to believe in the magic that was happening right before them.

"Come on you guys, not even Monty can explain this and he's in college." Monty nods.

"There's no logical reason for this... none at all..." He was the first one to come around, oddly enough. A sad smile touching his lips.

"How could I have forgotten it?"

"How could any of us?" Pippa spoke up and the others gave Jack a sad smile; he just smiled back and shrugged.

"It was bound to happen. Part of growing up, but if they think you need to believe, then I trust Jamie."

"I'm sorry we doubted you about this." Jamie shrugged it off.

"That's not important. Also, we do have one more guest... ah... the spirit of Halloween is also here."

"You mean, the same guy you had us do research on last year?" Monty asked.

"Yeah, he's here." The girls were the first to see him, both raised eyebrows at him.

"Aren't you supposed to be a skeleton or something?" Cupcake said more than asked.

"Would you prefer I was?"

"No... not really." Pippa put in. The other boys stared, they seemed a little... disappointed. Jacko chuckled.

"You know, I was mortal once; just like Jack here. There's a reason I don't look as ghastly as you all seemed to have expected."

"So wait, we get why Jack is here, but why you?" Pippa piped up.

"Because I need help. My kingdom is starving and last year I was told that I would find the answer to my problem in him." He waved a hand at Jamie.

"I don't have any answers for you though, at least... not off the top of my head. Jack?" Jack shook his head.

"It's one thing to fight fear, but to deal with not having it at? When I left the pole the others were arguing over what books they should read and what spells to look up in order to actually get Pitch to scare people.

"Seriously?" Caleb stared.

"Why would that be a good idea?" Claude asked. Jack shrugged.

"My guess would be they assume Pitch would be able to restabilize the balance of fear." Jacko said, one hand resting beneath his chin as he considered this.

"The problem with that is that Pitch doesn't create fear necessarily; he and his Fearlings prey on the fears that already dwell in people to begin with. Truth be told, fear of the dark and monsters actually started with me and my kingdom. We could easily scare people into making up wild tales, some of which were once true, and that was more than enough to scare folks so that we could easily feast off the fear. Pitch just took advantage of that during the Dark Ages. It's much more difficult now. Especially with the latest cult classic on vampires and zombies... what next? Are you going to make a movie about someone falling in love with a six foot monster with two head and horns?! I swear... With each new movie of the like, fewer and fewer fear the creatures that we are and because of it my people are starving!" Anger flared in the brilliant eyes, for a moment there was a jolt of fear from the group before Jacko forced himself to calm down.

"Sorry... it's just that... nothing we are seems to scare you anymore and I came here to find a way to bring back fear the way it was meant to be. You've already seen what happens when fear begins to seriously die out. Fender benders are the least of your worries... before you know it people will jump off cliffs just because they want to see if their latest attempt to make a person fly without an airplane is a success without even trying it at a safer height first. Imagine the death toll **then.** " The group didn't want to.

"Okay, enough of that, stop scaring them." Jack cut in before Jacko could go on.

"I'm not doing this on purpose Jack. That's what they have to look forward to if this continues and you know it as much as I do. The world will dissolve into quick chaos. Like it or not, there needs to be a healthy dose of fear just as much as there needs to be belief. How many deaths do you suppose will be among your believers if it goes that far? Children are the most susceptible right now to the influence of the flagging fear."

"If that's true... why haven't any of us done something stupid then?" Caleb asked.

"Firstly, you're slightly older children. It would take another day or two to kick in and secondly, you've also got a little bit more leeway than most."

"How do you figure that?" Cupcake asked.

"Simple, each and every one of you has something that almost no other child has. You've had the touch of magic on you." The group looked at him in curiosity.

"What do you mean?" Jamie asked after a moment.

"Well, think of past events. You came in contact, personally, with the Guardians. That on its own gives anyone a small dose of magic that stays around for about a day or week at most... but as I recall the six of you here not only battled with Pitch, but you won. You fought alongside the Guardians and... if memory serves, you witnessed what no other mortal has had the pleasure of witnessing for many centuries... You saw a Guardian take the oath. Very powerful magic there."

"How is that powerful magic? I mean, all he did was agree to watch over the children of the world." Monty seemed perplexed.

"True enough... but a spirit's word, in terms of an oath, is a binding contract. Unlike with humans, it's not just mere words, but agreeing to any terms is like basically, in terms of any mortal, to signing away your life. Although, breaking such word has consequences more dire than what any mortal can inflict."

"Let's not go into that here." Jack said hastily. There was no reason that any of them needed to know any of that, they were still mortal after all. Jamie raised his eyebrows at Jack who shifted a little nervously, but no one pressed the issue, much to the winter spirit's relief.

"I mean, we have more important things to worry about now." The six nodded in agreement. They needed to figure out how to fix the world first before they worried about what it was that Jack had kept Jacko from saying.

"So, exactly how are we supposed to be able to fix things this time? I mean, it's not exactly something we can go out and fight like last time." Caleb said after a moment's silence.

"He's right, much as I hate to say it; it's not like people will suddenly start being afraid again just because we tell them to." Jamie sighed.

"We can't just sit here doing nothing!" Cupcake said, frustration in her tone as much as in her eyes.

"But what CAN we do?"

"Well..." Jamie began, the others looked at him again, but he was staring down at the floor.

"The objective is clear... we need to get people to fear again... We need to find a way... find things that will help inspire it again... Let's fan out, see what we can find... Come back here around five tomorrow." The group nodded and reluctantly left, leaving only Jack, Jacko, Sophie and Jamie in the living room. Jack didn't trust the other enough to leave Jamie and Sophie alone with him. Jamie looked over at Jack.

"Do you think the others know you're gone?"

"Probably, if they were paying any attention anyway. Doesn't matter. I don't trust you alone with him." Jacko held up his hands.

"I take blame enough for that. I did have you kidnapped, after all."

"And by my former friend." Jack nearly growled.

"That was a fluke. I had no idea you had any connections to my informant. Bret is, even after all this time, still a little rash, but he has never disobeyed a direct command from me. A fortunate thing for you, Jack, or you might have lost Jamie to him." Jack glared.

"You're the one who stole my friend away!"

"No, that wasn't my doing. That was the doing of a foolish youth who met someone he shouldn't have on All Hallows Eve because a group of his friends dared him to." Jack didn't refute it.

"Hey, will you two knock it off? Some of us are trying to think here." Jack folded his arms without another word to the Halloween spirit.


	7. 6

Jamie didn't say much of anything after that, Sophie went to her room to play, but after that she eventually got dressed for bed on her own and, after saying goodnight to the trio, headed off to her room again after brushing her teeth.

"If you'd be so kind, Jamie... perhaps I can stay the night here? I promise not to make a nuisance of myself."

"As long as you don't go around trying to scare us or my mother, you're fine to stay."

"Do you think that's a good idea?" Jack asked. Jamie sighed.

"Look, the guy came to US for help. Cut him a little slack will you? It's not like he can fake anything we've seen of him." Jack sighed.

"You're right. I'm sorry...I just... I don't trust him."

"So you've said."

"You've made that plenty plain, Frost. I intend to stay here in the living room while here. Seeing as there aren't many places to sleep. I'll take the broom closet and be fine with that." Jamie raised an eyebrow at that.

"What are you, a mummy?"

"Funny, no. Just that such places are more suitable and out of the way. I'm least likely to be disturbed during the day if I stay there. Am I wrong?"

"No, you're not."

"I am a spirit of the night, after all, while daylight won't kill me, it doesn't do me any good either. I do wish you and your friends good luck. Goodnight." Having said as much he retreated to the broom closet beneath the stars. Jack watched him go before following Jamie up the stairs to his room. Jamie had made supper because his mother still wasn't home. Just as he was heading up he heard the slow stop of a car and ran down again. He'd completely forgotten! He'd been so wrapped up in everything that had happened today he'd forgotten that his mother hadn't been home at her usual time because of all the stuff happening. Jamie met her at the door and hugged her.

"Honey, what's this all about?"

"Can you do me a favor tomorrow?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"Can you stay home with Sophie?"

"Honey, I can't I have to-"

"Please! It's important! Just this once!"

"Jamie you know I have to-"  
"MOM!" She sighed and looked into his eyes.

"Fine. Just this once." Relief flooded through him.

"Thanks mom!"

"Did you cook supper? I smell pasta."

"Yeah, there's some still left in the fridge."

"I'll heat that up then." Remembering Jacko's warning, Jamie shook his head.

"I'll do it. You just relax." She looked at him funny.

"Well, okay then." Jamie was careful to heat up the spaghetti to a warm temperature and got his mom more than enough before he went to bed.

"I doubt I'll be able to make an excuse to make breakfast that she'll believe... even if I am up before her." Jamie sighed.

"Keep an eye on her, will you please?"

"Of course."

"Thanks, Jack. I owe ya." He muttered as he flopped onto the bed.

"You don't owe me kiddo. It's the least I can do after all you did for me." Jamie didn't hear a word of that, though, because he'd dropped off to sleep. Jack gave a quiet sigh as he settled in for the night, turning off the light for Jamie and tucking his best and brightest believer under the covers.

"I don't know if you realize this, but I'd be lost without you." Jack murmured quietly, he didn't expect to hear a response from Jamie and the silence that greeted him was not unexpected. He looked over at the moonlight that lit up the room. He couldn't really see the moon from where he was at, but that didn't matter. He knew too well that, without Jamie, the world would be a lot different... He would probably be still just as lost as ever... trying to find a way to make someone see him... to believe in him long enough to see him. 300 years was a long time to go without anyone being able to see or touch you... Jack didn't want to think about all the things he'd tried to get people to notice him... some of it was down right unbecoming of a person who was supposedly destined to be a Guardian of children. Jack knew that there was a lot he would never share with Jamie, about those years, because it wasn't pretty and no person should ever have to go to the lengths that he had. He could barely remember the times he'd lost his sanity because of all the people that had gone through him... of all the failures... He didn't really recall much of what he did then and he hoped he never did because he was pretty sure that, in his times of insanity, he'd done some pretty terrible things. Things that he would regret doing. There was no doubt that some of the storms he'd conjured in his days to try and gain attention had killed countless, but he'd not done all of those knowing people would die... in fact, a lot of times he'd tried to get people home to safety. Sometimes he'd succeeded, sometimes not. He'd regretted it, but he didn't remember their names... didn't remember who they were or where they'd come from, or if they'd even had families. He just barely remembered the times he'd wandered out to try and guide a poor soul home. So many times he'd done so... so many lives... some spared while others had gotten lost and would never see another day again because despite his attempts to send them home... they had ignored his attempts to push them towards safety and thus had perished. Such was the cost of not being seen... not being heard, not being able to touch the living souls of the world. Jamie didn't know that Jack had woken several nights that first year, wondering if everything was a dream, only to find himself at the workshop and be reassured that indeed he was a Guardian. That he had believers, that he wasn't alone any more and there were those who were not only friends, but who were willing to spend time with him and help him. So many times that winter that had followed in that first Easter had he stayed with Jamie... woken up in a cold sweat at the boy's bedside with only the evidence of Jamie's many childhood drawings to reassure him that everything was okay. That Jamie believed in him and his friends did too. Every once in a great while, it still happened too; sometimes, when things were going their best, when he'd just gone back to the workshop to the room that North had permanently extended to him, after having one of the best days with believers... he'd drop off for a quick restorative nap only to wake up hours later in pure terror, heart racing, wondering if everything he'd known up until that moment had been a dream... some glorious dream and wondering if he was alone again. Until he was able to fully accept that he was indeed a Guardian, he'd come to dread sleeping... the thought that he might wake up in a tree or a snowbank only to find that he wasn't a Guardian, that Jamie didn't believe in him and that the other Guardians were too busy to bother with him... just like before. Before he'd been one of them... they'd been holed up, literally, in their own little worlds; not even seeming to know how to really interact with the children they professed to protect. Jack hadn't understood the how of that, but it was the truth... if an embarrassing one for the other four. They'd spent so much time working as protectors that they had lost touch with those they protected; they certainly hadn't spent much time on Jack, though Sandy had tried in that regard when he could. Granted, he understood that most of them were busy... but North and Bunny weren't busy year round. They didn't have the same understandable reason for not paying him any attention when they weren't bolstering their holidays and out running around to make sure said holiday went smoothly. They were doing their best now, though, to make up for that. At least, he believed they were; while Tooth and Sandy were still the busiest, Jack knew he could drop in to talk to North or Bunny during their off seasons and chat them up if he liked and he would be welcomed rather than seen as some sort of nuisance or a distraction. Every once in a while, he even talked to Tooth and helped her out a couple nights here and there with the teeth so that they could make time to talk. Although talks with her sometimes ended awkwardly and he didn't know why; she was friendly enough, he supposed. So why did she always seem so nervous around him? It couldn't be just because of his teeth could it? He shook the notion aside, he knew she was passionate about her job, but she didn't faint like her fairies did every time he flashed a smile... although she did beam... That wasn't the reason she got nervous though, at least as far as he could tell. He brushed the thoughts from his mind as he settled down against the window, looking at the door to Jamie's bedroom, alert for the slightest of sounds and staring at the shadows like they were about to leap up at him. He wouldn't put it past Jacko, but as he stared at the shadows and time slowly ticked by, it seemed that Jamie was right. Jacko was proving good on his word and not so much as a single shadow was out of place. Jack didn't fully trust the other spirit, even so, but he figured he could... as Jamie had said... cut him some slack. Jacko didn't seem malevolent and, up until the prior year, Jack hadn't even known that he'd existed. As he thought about years past, he wondered how it was he hadn't realized there even _was_ such a spirit around. Shouldn't he have noticed something? He cast his mind back as far as he could recall... as he thought about it more and more, he realized that he _had_ noticed something... He just hadn't been paying that much attention because Jacko and his minions... for lack of a better word... had always blended in so well with other trick-or-treaters and such that Jack really had not taken much notice of them other than that some seemed "more realistic" than others. It should have clicked in his mind that those "realistic" props that jumped out to scare people on purpose had actually not been people in costume at all, but had simply been Jacko's people at work, looking for a quick meal and getting it most easy on the one night where the veil between their world and the world of the living was thinnest. All Hallows Eve... or as most people called it today, Halloween.


	8. 7

Jamie spent the entire day hoofing it, that is to say, instead of taking a car or a bus to all of the places he went that had Halloween themed events and things, he was running around; on foot. He wasn't the only one, his friends were just as careful about it as they had split up the city into various sections. Jack had left to talk with the other Guardians once Jamie had left; dragging Jacko with him.

"I don't know why you insist on dragging me along, it's not like they'll be happy to see me."

"I don't trust you with the Bennett family." Was Jack's short answer as the wind tugged Jacko along with Jack; though Jacko looked less comfortable with it and had crossed his arms as he sat in the air. He didn't particularly enjoy this method of travel, but he wasn't going to complain since Jack seemed to insist.

"I still don't think this is a good idea." He said as they landed on a balcony in a room whose doors had been left open for Jack.

"They're not going to trust me, I'll be lucky if they don't just attack me on sight."

"I could fix that in a minute, but you wouldn't like it." Jack replied with a bit of a grin as he headed for the door. Jacko sighed and followed the frost spirit. The elves stared, the yetis warbled in worry and stared, Jack had to reassure half a dozen of the yetis who approached with weapons in hand... clubs, spears... any blunt thing they could find that wasn't a toy... He was explaining himself, and Jacko's presence for the umpth time before a voice Jacko actually recognized rang through the air.

"Vhat is going on here?!"

"Mate, you got some 'splainin' ta do." Jack turned from the yetis to find the other four Guardians staring at Jacko and none looked happy. Jack sighed and nodded.

"Fine... just... hear us out okay?"

"We're all ears mate."

"Are you? 'Cause I remember the last time I tried telling the three of you something that didn't go so well." Jack frowned.

"Jack. Ve will listen." North interrupted before this became more than just an ugly reminder of their mistake years ago that fateful Easter.

"First, something to drink?" Sandy nods, the look he was giving Jack said that while he trusted him, that he expected Jack had a good reason for bringing with him their former enemy.

"Ah... where do I begin?"

"Perhaps, if you'd be so kind... I should explain?" Jack looked over at Jacko, seeming surprised at the other spirit. The others turned their attention to the spirit of Halloween when Jack didn't argue.

"I'm sure you are all aware of the precarious situation of your believers, how the lack of fear has come into play. It began in the early 1980s."

"So recent?" Tooth asked, he nodded.

"For centuries my kind has maintained fear around the globe, keeping people safe by maintaining the balance of fear... allowing people to be brave but at the same time warding them away from dangerous things of their everyday lives... like the dangers of getting cut or burning, for example." They nod.

"Horror, in films, has always been something of a past time for those who are thrill seekers or who like a good scare for whatever reason. My kingdom's spiritkind has been inspiration for such since the Dark Ages and long before that as well. Each of us, as we are... evolve and change with various fears that have ebbed and flowed in mankind over the ages. Trouble is, with the innovation of "movie magic," as it is called, things have gotten more and more like what is seen in real life. Wounds in movies that once were simply staged, like in a play, are now as messy as they would be were a person to actually obtain it. The twisted minds that have allowed this, and the tortures that evil can do, to seep into movies and spread among man has... desensitized many to our ways of scaring. Too many times have many of my people been written off as "people in costume" or what have you; this easy dismissal has made it harder and harder to invoke true fear in man... and with the decline of that... my kingdom... my people... are starving. The balance has been tipped in favor of no fear... with Pitch out for the count in terms of scaring children... what was already a delicate balance suddenly plunged into an imbalance." He held up his hands before they could speak.

"I'm not saying that Pitch's bid to return things to the Dark Ages was a good thing. It wasn't by any means, but... he was keeping enough people fearing that there was still a balance. As you can now see... that balance is gone. Unless I can find a way to help my people survive... they will fade into nothingness and chaos will reign as fear itself, on this planet, dies with us." The Guardians were silent. After a moment Jack spoke up.

"Jacko appeared to Jamie, he was weak... asking for help."

"He don't look weak now mate."

"No, I was fortunate enough to get a bit of a boost, but it won't last long." Bunny narrowed his eyes.

"I didn't scare anyone, if that's what you're thinking, rabbit. Truth is, it surprised me a little to find that while the world is being effected, you left enough magic on six fortunate children who have yet to feel any effects despite their age. It won't protect them forever, but for the time being they still have the capacity to feel fear and they are, currently, very fearful of what the future might hold if something isn't done to correct this. My contact with them has left me energized. Nothing more."

"What exactly do you want us ta do mate? Not like we can just invoke fear in anyone. Ain't our thing."

"Jamie and his friends are helping." Jack said.

"Is it really a good idea ta bring 'em into this mate?"

"What choice did I have? Jacko went to Jamie specifically." The four looked back at Jacko again.

"I was told by my gypsy the year before that he would be the key to saving my kingdom. What other choice did I have? I had to trust her word. She's never been wrong before."

"How kan she manage that though if she was starvin?" Jacko shrugged.

"Not my place to question how she performs her magic anymore than it would be to ask you how you manage to enchant stone to guard your warren." Bunny frowned at that.

"Another time, rabbit. Don't get distracted." He replied before Bunny could even begin to ask how he even knew that.

"Jacko is right... so... vhat do you expect us to do?"

"Right now, Jamie and his friends are out looking for ways to inspire people to fear again. I think we should do the same; span the globe... we can cover more ground."

"A good idea mate. Let's get to it then shall we?"

"No time like the present!" Tooth agreed, sending across the idea to her fairies to be on the lookout for similar things while they went about their work.

"Only one thing mate... I don't trust Jacko. Why'd ya bring him with ya?"

"I don't trust him alone with the Bennetts." Bunny smirked.

"Good thinkin'. Still, can't leave 'im on his own..."  
"What? I get no say in this?" He looked affronted as five voices rang out "no" in unison.

"Fine, fine."

"Who wants to volunteer then?" Jack asked, there was a moment of silence before Sandy rolled his eyes and indicated that he'd watch over Jacko.

"Is settled then. Let's be going, da?" They all nodded in agreement and split off, leaving Jacko with Sandy while they each scoured the world, in their own ways, to help find ways to bring back fear.


	9. 8

Jamie glanced both ways, but it was still a workout getting around places without worrying about a car running him down. People were biking to work and such, but that wasn't too much better... already he'd come across bikers who'd slammed into one another or had toppled over when they'd been hit by cars not watching... So far he hadn't seen any fatalities and he just thanked his lucky stars for that. He didn't think he'd ever get over it if he ran across someone who had died because of all this. When he finally got home he found his mother was huddled on the couch with Sophie. The TV was playing a movie, but he took one look at his mother and he knew things had gotten worse just by how pale she seemed now. Something had obviously gotten to her.

"Mom?" She got up from the couch and looked at him in sheer relief.

"Jamie, thank god!" She rushed over to him and hugged him tight.

"Geez... what's the deal?"

"Your friends are here, upstairs, waiting for you... or so they said. They're worried about you too when you didn't show..."  
"Didn't..." He looked at his watch. It had stopped at 3:30.

"What time is it?"

"Ten after six." Jamie winced.

"I told them to meet me here at five... geez... I'm so sorry." She let him go and he quickly ran up the steps. Seconds later the breath was knocked out of him from his five friends as they all tried to embrace him all at once.

"Where WERE you man?!" Caleb asked.

"Sorry, my watch busted and I lost track of time." He pulled off the broken thing, showing it to them before tossing it on his desk. Pippa and Cupcake were sitting on his bed, Monty had taken the chair from his desk and the twins were lounging on the floor.

"Anyone find anything?"

"All I found were haunted houses and movies." Pippa said, the others nod in agreement.

"I think movies are part of the problem actually." Monty spoke up.

"What do you mean?" Claude asked.

"Well... studies show that those who watch horror films are more desensitized to violence and violent acts than those who have never seen anything like it."

"So basically you're saying movies are the reason for all of this?" Caleb stared at him dumbly.

"I wouldn't say they're the entire reason... but I can't say they've helped either. Think about it. We've all seen the original black and white horror films and weren't even scared right?"

"Yeah, what's your point?"

"I think I know." Jamie said and the group looked at him.

"Think about it, those black and white movies hardly had any blood and there wasn't any gore shown on screen. Vampires never had any blood... so killing them on screen meant there was no blood or gore there and the victims were never shown beyond having a tarp over them at most. Movies today... there's blood and guts just in action movies and TV shows we see every day." Monty nodded.

"Desensitization doesn't happen overnight, it's something that slowly progresses and with so much of such violence on TV... what is there really to fear? I hate to say it... but without someone like Pitch... inspiring fear isn't going to be easy."

"What about haunted houses though? I mean, like you said... there's a lot of blood and gore, but most haunted houses aren't just based around that... I mean... they normally use jump scares to get people after they've been distracted or unnerved by something else and then the main scare happens afterwards or in places they don't expect it to. That's what makes them scary, right?"

"So then... are you suggesting what I think you are?" Caleb asked slowly. Jamie nodded a little.

"No one is going to know they are real, who can tell the difference anymore except us?"

"Maybe not even us." Pippa said and the group nodded.

"So, how do we get the message to Jacko then?"

"By talking to Jack."  
"How do we do that?"

"Let's go and I'll show you... but you have to promise something."

"Like what?" Caleb asked.

"If I show you this... you can't ever use it unless it's a real emergency. Like now. Swear you will tell no one else if they ask you." The five friends nodded in agreement.

"We take this secret, you will show us, to the grave Jamie." Monty said solemnly and the others nod in agreement.

"Let's go then."

"Now? Isn't it dangerous at night?" Monty asked.

"It is getting close to dark, but it can't be helped. We can't afford to waste time when tomorrow it could mean lives. We'll cut through the yard after we sneak out my room." The group nodded and followed Jamie through the house and out the backdoor, quiet as mice. The six children aware of the danger of being out after dark, but Jamie had brought a couple flashlights he'd had stowed in his room.

"Do this often?" Caleb had joked when he'd saw it only to have Jamie roll his eyes in return. When they reached the pond, Jamie had to hunt around to find a couple of stones. The group watched in silence as he chucked the first one onto the ice.

"Dude... what are you doing?" Claude asked.

"This is how I contact Jack when I need him. Only when I truly need him." The group waited in silence, sitting at the edge of the pond; watching the light fade from the sky. Before the last light faded, Jamie sent a second pebble flying. It bounced on the ice. They waited... and waited... it was boring and the night became a little chilly. It was October, after all, and now Halloween was only a week away. Jamie hoped it was enough time... that they had enough time to put things in motion. Just as he was wondering this, he heard his friends calling happily and looked up in time to see that Jack was coming down for a landing.

"Hey guys, what's up?"

"Well, we think we've found a solution." Caleb said, the look of relief in the spirit's eyes told the group that he and the other Guardians hadn't had much luck.

"Where's Jacko?" Jamie asked before anyone could say anything more.

"He's with Sandy."

"Are you sure that's a good thing?" Pippa asks.

"Sandy can handle himself. Plus, I would think that if Jacko meant any harm he'd have done it by now." Jamie said candidly before Jack could, the frost spirit just nods in agreement.

"So what have you come up with then?"

"Well, the only thing we found for sure was haunted houses. People go to them all of the time, and it's gotten to the point that we think it's the only place we're likely to get any real fear for certain around this time of the year."

"Yeah... I kind of noticed that myself. Still, it seems more like a temporary solution kiddo. Halloween only happens for one night a year."

"Yeah, but I figure it's the best shot we have right now. We can always figure out the long term _after_ we've fixed things."

"Can't argue there."

"Let's get Jacko then and tell him." Jack nodded and rolled up his left sleeve to reveal what looked like a watch.

"What's that?" Caleb asked.

"Communicator. North insisted we have 'em before we left."

"Awesome... um... think that we could get one?" Jack chuckled.

"Maybe." He was pretty sure Jamie could manage to get one, if none of the others after this mess was over. After all, this had to be more efficient than having Jamie toss rocks at his pond every time there was an emergency of some sort. Not that he wished for more problems like this but... he'd be lying if he said he didn't want to have a sure-fire way of talking to his best friend even if he was miles away on the other side of the globe. As expected, the group gasped as they watched as an image formed before Jack like some futuristic holo projection; except that it looked rather real and less like any hologram that had been displayed in movies or on TV. A question mark appeared above Sandy's head instantly.

"Bring Jacko with you, Jamie and the others have figured out a solution and we need to meet up. We're at my pond." Sandy smiled and nodded before cutting communication, which made the image swirl like a small pool of golden sand and trickle down, a reverse of what it had done to bring up the image to begin with.

"That's awesome man!"

"Neat." Jamie smiled.

"Very cool."

"I'd love to get a chance to study how that works." All of them chimed in, but a quick smile from Jack told Jamie that he'd at least caught his comment in the sudden awe of everything. They'd never seen anything like it, after all, and most people had only dreamed of such technology being real in books, movies and the like. It was easy to imagine, but actually building it... that seemed to be harder to do. The group was still gushing over Jack's latest "accessory" as he put it, when Jacko and Sandy arrived. It didn't take long for the group to greet him with the same awe and wonder that they had the first time, when they were kids. Sandy simply smiled while Jacko was met with sort of a mixed reaction. They didn't trust him and that was fine with him. He wasn't here to make friends, particularly not with any mortals; he needed to save his kingdom. Sandy and Jacko listened carefully as Jack explained to them what Jamie had explained to him.


	10. 9

"Do you honestly think this will work?" Jacko stood with Jamie, Caleb and Claude just a few feet from a local "haunted" park attraction.

"We won't know until we try... what other option is there?" Jamie muttered back to the Halloween spirit as Jack nodded. He was there too, if only because he didn't trust Jacko.

"Let's go, not like anyone is going to believe you." Jamie had agreed that each of the Guardians was to find and send out a group of Jacko's people to a park To Jamie's surprise, there were more parks than there were groups... but when Jack had voiced this Jamie had just said that it was all the better in case some parks or amusement places didn't work out. Not every "haunted" place was going to be scary enough to invoke real fear and not every one of the places was for adults anyway. There were some kid-friendly versions after all.

"Um... this can get pretty bad... are you sure you want to come with us Jack?" He wasn't sure if his wintry friend would be able to handle the sadistic "carnage" of a modern haunted house... which wasn't just "jump scares" anymore.  
"I don't trust Jacko." Jamie sighed.

"Don't say I didn't warn you."

"How bad can it be?"

"Bad. Ever seen the movie Saw?" Jamie muttered, falling silent as a group of people walked past.

"No, why?" Jamie let out a quiet groan. This wasn't going to be all that fun if Jack went with him, figured that his friend was too innocent for this level of scare and looked at Jacko. The two shared a look and seemed to sigh but Jacko nodded.

"I don't think it necessary for me to actually go through the place, just standing outside when this starts should be close enough."

"Wouldn't it be more effective to go through the haunted house though?" Jacko shook his head.

"As long as I'm within ten feet it's fine." Jamie was pretty sure, from the look the spirit gave him, that he was lying about that.

"Okay, well you stay here then and I'll go inside. Keep an eye on him Jack, though I doubt he'll do anything at this point." Jack just nodded and he and Caleb moved away from the two.

"Seriously? Do you think he's THAT naive?" Caleb asked.

"I don't know, but I don't want to find out. He's immortal Caleb, do you REALLY want to be the one responsible for scarring a Guardian for the rest of their life?"

"Point taken. Let's go!" He said the last bit loud enough to be heard by the two spirits who stood near the park's entrance as the sun began to sink.

"Geez, quite the crowd." Jack said as he looked at all the people who were waiting to get into the park.

"Yes, well some people enjoy this sort of thing. Although why is beyond me."

"I can't imagine that either... do people find this fun?"

"A select few, though I do not think you would be one of those; you would more likely find fun in doing the scaring."

"Only a few? Looks like a lot to me."

"Only a few. Most are just dragged along by their friends. I'm the Spirit of Halloween Jack, I know these sorts of things." Jack frowned a little but he didn't refute it as he saw the first group go in, along with his friends.

"Looks like the park is finally open." There was a moment of silence between them.

"How long do these things usually last?"

"Depends on the attraction. Usually 10 minutes for most, some go as far though as 15." Jack's curiosity began to get the better of him as they waited for the three teens to come out again.

"How long have you been doing this? I mean, I know my history, Halloween is a modern term, a contraction of All Hallows Eve."

"Very good, Jack. I've been around for a while yet. I don't remember my life from before, nor do I care to; it doesn't really matter but what I do know is that I came from the colonial era. I was... born, more or less, on this soil."

"So you were like me, a pioneer?"

"More or less, though I imagine you and I are years apart in terms of when we became spirits."

"Why Halloween?"

"Is this an interrogation Jack?" The winter spirit frowned.

"I'm just curious is all."

"Why?"

"Have to do something to pass the time don't I? Not like I feed off fear like you or anything."

"Why the sudden curiosity in me though? Why care?" Jack shrugged a little.

"You might have made a mistake last year and, well... everyone deserves a second chance. I might not trust you yet, but that doesn't mean I'm going to out right attack you or anything." Jacko stared at him for a long moment in silence.

"I can see why Jamie likes you." He looked at the other spirit in confusion.

"You, like him, are more than what you seem on the outside, Jack Frost."

"Er... I guess. I mean, North did tell me that not just anyone becomes a Guardian."

"He's right on that. Manny is very picky about who he chooses to be a Guardian."

"Do you have a center?"

"All spirits do, Jack. It's just a question of what that center revolves around."

"What is it then? Fear?" Jacko chuckled.

"I can see how you might think that, but no." Jack stared. It wasn't fear?

"What is it then? I mean, that's the most obvious of things, right?"

"Obvious, yes, but my center is courage."

"I don't think I get it. How is your center courage when all you do is scare people?"

"Yes, I do scare others, but only in good fun and all of the scares I give people are meant to help them stay safe. Scares children receive are ones they have to get over in order to become adults. To face one's fears takes courage, I inspire it by bringing them face-to-face with what they fear and help them conquer it."

"I guess I never thought of it like that."

"Few do. Most only see the fear or feel it." The screams that came suddenly sent a jolt through Jack and Jacko had to grab his arm to keep him from leaving.

"Don't forget Jack, there's no danger in this; they're fine, I promise." Jack nods, realizing that he'd been about to take off to get to Jamie; he was a little confused at the sound of laughter that faintly echoed in the distance as well.

"What are they laughing at?" Jacko smiled.

"They're having fun, Jack. This is a type of scare that is meant to be fun."

"I should have gone with them."

"I don't think so."

"Why not?"

"As I explained before, you're more apt to enjoy the scaring than being scared."

"Hmmm." A few minutes, and several screams and sounds of laughter later, Jamie and his friends appeared.

"That was great man!" Caleb was laughing while Jamie punched him playfully.

"You're not talking me into doing that again!"

"Who knew you could scream like that?" Caleb replied with a laugh. Jamie shook his head.

"Like you two were any better with that zombie clown." They looked over at Jacko, wondering what he would say.

"Well?" Jamie prompted.

"I believe your idea has worked, but I am waiting for my pet to be sure." There was a long moment of anticipation before an owl swooped down towards Jacko as he held out his arm.

"Nightngale. What's the news?" She clicked her beak and hooted softly, fluffing her feathers.

"That is good news indeed." Jacko looked over at the group.

"What did it say?" Caleb asked.

"She said that everyone is happily full. It seems that your temporary fix, has worked wonders." The group cheered and neither spirit blamed them.

"Now for a less temporary solution." Jamie nodded at the spirit's words. Halloween only came one night a year and its celebration was throughout the month in terms of attractions but that was it. Just four weeks out of the year wasn't going to be enough to avert the crisis. They had to come up with something else, but for the evening none of them cared. It had worked and that meant that the balance would be restored again; for a little while anyway.

"What do you plan to do now, Jacko?"

"Well, I think that I will return to my kingdom, for now, but I will return and discuss with the Guardians on a more permanent solution."

"Well, if you need or want help... You know where to find us." Jacko nodded.

"Indeed. Thank you, all of you. I will not forget this." With a smile, that wasn't too unlike the one Jack would give him before starting a snowball fight, the Pumpkin King leapt back into the nearest shadow and was swallowed into the darkness of its depths.


	11. 10

As expected, the restoration of Jacko's kingdom restored the balance that had been precarious just days before. Because of it, some adults seemed to be now almost overly cautious in their commutes to work; even if no one else was aware of the cause of the minor disasters that had spread like wildfire for two days, it seemed that it was not forgotten. Jamie instantly set to his computer to write down all that had happened in the last few days; he'd no doubts that Jack would have believers and that Jacko may gain a few as well as he worked on the story in his free time between school and watching his sister. As he had the year before, Jack visited him often during the week of Halloween. Checking up on him and relaying minor tidbits about the other Guardians who were seeing to it that Jacko's citizens were not only well fed, but had easy means to return to their own world as well. Jamie was a little surprised that Jack didn't mention Bret, but while Jamie hadn't forgotten the vampire, he imagined that it was still something Jack needed to come to terms with. After all, it had only been last year that his friend had discovered the fate of a boy he had been friends with when Jack, himself, had been alive. Jamie didn't doubt that Jack still blamed himself for the fate that had befallen his friend that night. So it was, that on the night of Halloween, he met Jack dressed as a vampire. Sort of. All he had were fangs that would be hidden in his mouth and a bit of makeup to make him look paler and like he'd died a while ago. He had just finished the makeup and was stepping out of the bathroom when he met Jack.

"Hey Jack." Jack stared. _Crap... is this too realistic?_

"Hey... um... I guess that means I did well with my costume." Jack seemed to shake himself and manage a smile.

"You look great Jamie."

"Thanks, I haven't put the teeth in yet though." He motioned to the plastic, not-quite-real-looking fangs that were still sitting on his night stand. Before Jack could comment, he moved over to the winter spirit and put his arms around him. Surprising the other.

"Jamie? Is... everything okay?"

"I'm fine, but I know you're not."

"What are you talking about?" He sighed a little, pulling back and tugging Jack to sit with him on the bed.

"I didn't mean for my costume to drag up a painful memory, but... I think that it's time to let it go. I'm not saying it will be easy or anything." He rushed the last bit before Jack could say anything. He didn't have to mention it exactly for Jack to know what he was talking about; he could see that much in the winter spirit's eyes.

"Jack. It's been... hundreds of years. He might not be who you knew, but if he was... is anything like you, then he's not going to blame you for what happened. It was a stupid mistake, yes, but how could he have known? How could any of you?" Jack opened his mouth, but Jamie went on before he could speak.

"No, don't say that you could have. Jack, people in today's world... in the here and now, don't even know that such things exist outside of stories. Didn't you once tell me that Pitch was easily written off as a bad dream after the Guardians first appeared? I bet he wasn't the only one. Vampires, witchcraft, golems, zombies, hippocampus... I'm betting that any and every sort of creature that was once known to be a terror to anyone was just written off as a "story" to keep kids from misbehaving or from straying too far in the woods and such." Jack closed his mouth again.

"Adults stopped believing and, I think, some of those things eventually went into hiding or stopped existing because of it. You understand what I mean though. What happened was nothing more than a terrible accident... just like what happened on that pond. No one meant for it to happen, but it did. Jacko might not be the nicest spirit to be around, but he seems like he's more than just a good king to those he watches over; I mean, he's done everything he can to make sure that they survive. I imagine that they love him for it, Bret included." Jack found he couldn't say anything to that. He couldn't argue with Jamie's logic, much as he wanted to; to refute that the boy he'd once knew was in a place where he could be happy. Truth was, he had never heard any complaints about Jacko from any of the citizens and neither had any of the other Guardians. Everything Jamie had said was the truth, but it was a truth that hurt a little because he still felt at fault for Bret's fate.

"I think, that, someday... you and he need to talk. To settle this matter between you once and for all." Jack nodded a little.

"Until that time, try to remember what I've said; to not be so hard on yourself. You were human too once and humans make mistakes. All of the time."

"Haven't seen you make one that big."

"Maybe not yet, but that doesn't mean I won't. Besides, you've seen my English papers, they're full of mistakes." He grinned a little and Jack gave him a small smile in return.

"Now, let's go scare up a few teens shall we?" Jack grinned then and Jamie reached for the false teeth.

"Jamie." He paused and turned back to Jack.

"Thanks." He hugged the boy, resting his head on top of his; it was a little awkward because Jamie was almost as tall as he was now. His believer, whether he wanted him to or not... was growing up. Pushing aside the thoughts, he released the boy.

"What are friends for?" Jamie replied with a smile before grabbing the false teeth and settling them into his mouth. He grabbed the pillow case that was to be his candy bag and headed out to meet his friends. This was the last time they'd go trick-or-treating, at least for Jamie, as his mother had told him he was getting too old for such things and while he'd been a little sad at that he also found he didn't mind it too much. After all, he had a secret in his heart, something that no one could ever take away no matter what. His belief in the Guardians. Jamie was a little surprised to find, when he went outside, that Jacko was there with his five friends. Monty was dressed as a more classic vampire, the twins were ghosts while Cupcake was a monster slayer while Pippa was a vampire slayer. None of their costumes had any gore of any sort of course.

"Jacko! Why are you here?"

"I wanted to thank you again, Bennett, for all your help. After all, you really had no reason to help me, let alone even trust that I wasn't lying to you. Even with all the catastrophe around."

"Well, you aren't like Pitch."

"Speaking of Pitch... why is it that none of us have heard anything from him?" Monty asked.

"A good question." Jack muttered, Jacko chuckled a little.

"Ah, well he and his Fearlings require fear to function. I imagine the tip in the balance of this has caused quite the headache for him. Were he and his minions not weak still from the battle of Easter some years back, they certainly would be now from the lack of fear to feed off of."

"What's a Fearling?" Caleb asked.

"Remind me and I'll tell you some time." Jamie said, he didn't want to go into that tonight; it was a night of fun after all.

"Are you coming with us Jack?" Pippa asked.

"You bet! After all... Jamie and I had fun last year scaring others."

"Wait a minute... you were the reason he floated last year!" Jack grinned at Monty's exclamation.

"You got it." Jamie and Jack both chuckled; they had scared his friends pretty good that night last year and had enjoyed every moment of it.

"Let's see how many people we can scare this year!" Caleb seemed enthusiastic about the idea and the others eventually picked up on it.

"How about you join us Jacko?" Jamie asked, the group turned towards the spirit of Halloween who looked shocked for a moment before smiling.

"It'd be my honor and pleasure." The group set out into the night to get candy and make fools of the non-believers. It would be a night of fun with their new spirit friend; when all was said and done, each of the kids thanked Jacko before leaving for home around ten that night. Bags full of candy and happily tired from all the work in getting it and scaring others. Jacko and Jack followed Jamie into his house; his sister had already returned before him, having gone out with their mother while he'd been allowed to go with just his friends. He gave his candy to his mother to sort out and divide evenly between him and his sister. Jamie was too tired to have gone through his horde and had simply smiled at his mother when she'd asked him if he'd had fun and had told her he was going to bed. The two spirits lounged in the room in silence while Jamie got ready for bed in the bathroom; having removed his makeup and put away the clothes he'd worn.

"Thanks for including me. I hope to do this again with you next year."

"I'm up for that and I'm sure the others will be too, if they don't forget again."

"Ah, yes, the stigma of "grown up" as it were."

"Yeah."

"I'm not worried, Jamie. I don't thrive on believers like the Guardians."

"So I noticed. Did anyone find a more permanent solution for you?"

"Yes, the Guardians have been a great help there. Just as you have been. I want to thank you again. You are something special, Jamie, and I'm sorry about the year before."

"Don't mention it. You were just doing what you thought best for your kingdom; sometimes, as mom says, doing the right thing means making tough choices." He smiled a little.

"Your mother is a wise woman. I'm glad I met you."

"Same -yawn- here."

"Ah, I believe that is my cue to leave. Until next year, Happy Halloween Jamie."

"Happy Halloween Jacko." The spirit smiled and disappeared into a nearby shadow, leaving just him and Jack now. Jamie slid beneath the covers, Jack watched with a small smile.

"Jack."

"Hmmm?"

"Will you spend the night with me?"

"Sure kiddo." Jamie smiled a bit and stretched out, turning on and old "night light" he'd made himself before shutting off the lamp on the nightstand.

"Jack."

"Hmmm."

"Thanks."

"For what?"

"Everything." The winter spirit was shocked into silence at the candid reply.

"You didn't have to come back after that Easter to play with us, you could have just stayed with the Guardians... but you didn't. You're my very best friend. You're like the older -yawn- brother... I always... wanted..." His words faded a little as he drifted off to sleep. Jack smiled a bit in the dim light.

"Me too kiddo. You're the family I've wanted for so long. That I once pretended I had before you could see me. You mean the world to me. You're my light." He murmured softly, watching the boy sleep. He would guard the boy's dreams, make sure that the boy who meant the world to him, dreamed only of the fun that they'd all had. He'd still be there when Jamie woke up, of course, He'd see his believer off to school before going to spread his frost and some snow before coming back to play with him and his friends; just as he'd always done when they had been younger. A routine he was all too happy to take up again. He had missed those days, where it hadn't been just the two of them, not that he didn't love being around Jamie, but he was glad that Jamie's friends believed again. Even if it would be a short lived thing and they would soon forget again. He knew that Jamie would never forget. The boy was the world's strongest believer, out of all those across the globe, his tiny light always shined the brightest no matter what happened. Jack knew, of course, that things would change; that his believer wouldn't always be around to spend time with him in the snow he created, even if his love for the snow was like his belief. Something that would never fade, he worried a little... for Jamie's sake. What would the future hold for his believer? As much as he enjoyed being around Jamie, he knew that someday the inevitable would need to happen... whether or not Jamie wished it to. It was the last trial of being on the verge of being an adulthood, or at least it would be for Jamie. Adults weren't supposed to believe. Weren't protected by the Guardians. They had to protect themselves. Jack pushed his concerns aside, that was a worry for another day, for now... he still had some time with Jamie. The boy who meant the most to him. Jack watched him sleep for a while before booting up the computer and looking over Jamie's story that he'd been working on, with a smile, he added a few details that he didn't think Jamie knew or had missed. He then spent the evening doing one of his favorite pass times. Under the username JckFrst, he logged onto the forum site Jamie and his friends had set up about him and the Guardians and set to answering questions about himself, nothing too personal of course, but he enjoyed connecting to so many of his believers this way when he couldn't just stop and do so when he'd been spreading snow. It wasn't something he could do often, but it was still worth doing; he had just finished and looked over at the sleeping Jamie, who was half curled beneath the blankets. Everything was peaceful, as it should be, and Jack was grateful for that; more than anyone - besides himself - might know.


End file.
